Meg11

Hmmm I'm not sure what VANurse is talking about as UVA is in the midst of hiring new grads for clinician 1 positions and throughout the year. Positions are a bit tight now due to budget restrictions, but as a teaching hospital, they certainly hire new grads. In an attempt to regain magnet status they are however putting more preference for BSN or higher or they are hiring ADNs with the promise that they will get the BSN within 5 years of hire. Also, Charlottesville certainly has a lot of young people in it: UVA is a university town thus there are a plethora of undergrad, graduate and young professionals...

Placements are random as efforts are made to ensure that students get a varied clinical experience. Every student experiences at least one "away" rotation throughout the program as well: Either Augusta health for OB, Western State or the VA for psych, Culpeper for ICU etc. For OB, most will be placed at UVA doing triage, labor/delivery, postpartum, and baby nursery, while a few will go to a surrounding hospital.

I definitely recommend Ash Tree Apartments/Cambridge Square Apartments. I know quite a few people who live there who love it because it's close to UVA and the Corner (where all the local college restaurants/shops are), right next to a bus stop that goes to the hospital, and has its own gym. I would generally not recommend living outside of Charlottesville, as it would require at least a 30 minute drive into down, then parking at a lot (which requires a parking pass), then taking the bus in or walking. There is NO parking at UVA, therefore while driving in is an option (as I do it myself), just remember that you will have to park at a lot first. The one nice thing is that the Green Route bus takes you directly to the hospital/nursing school though.

Yay congratulations everyone! Now you can all relax for the next few months before the insanity begins :) After being one semester away from completing the program, I can honestly say that this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, despite the ups and downs. Being a nurse is awesome and the in-depth training of the CNL role is an added bonus to the training and education you receive. Congrats again!!!

Healer's Art, did you receive my reply to your PM? I tried to send it, but I got a message that said your inbox was full. Let me know!

Good luck to both of you! Waiting is definitely the hardest part. This program has been challenging both personally and professionally but I can honestly say that it is one of the best decisions I made. With one semester left, I feel confident that I will be a competent nurse with the tools to collaborate care and use evidence based techniques throughout my career. The 1000 1:1 precepted hours are the biggest advantage over many other programs I saw because I've been able to directly apply what I've learned in class to the clinical setting first hand. Soulshine: Don't worry about your worries about "lack of experience": Many of us had less volunteer experience with even more varied previous undergraduate degrees. They really make a point to consider all aspects of the applicant. I was worried because at the time I applied, I didn't have grades for A&P 1 and 2, but it all turned out ok. Everyone has their shortcomings, but they want to know that you can bring a unique experience to the role as a clinical nurse leader. Keep me updated as things go along!

Hey soulshine, As far as I know they haven't started yet, but they should be conducting interviews throughout October and November. The waiting is always the hardest part! During my application process, we were not told about our admissions until Jan 15th and needless to say my Christmas break was filled with anxiety. Luckily they'll be informing you all in mid December. Do you live in Virginia? Did you get a chance to attend an open house Q&A session? Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Hi millydog, I am a current UVA CNL student, and would be more than happy to answer any questions you have. I will say that my class has a wide variety of previous backgrounds and GPAs, and I would not worry about your GPA if I were you...remember they take into account your entire portfolio of experiences, and having strong healthcare experience will only enhance your application. Most importantly, you need to stress why you want to be an RN- I found having specific shadow experiences with nurses in the hospital really enhanced my understanding of the scope of practice and daily tasks of a nurse. Are you from Virginia? Good luck with everythind and feel free to contact me.

Hi, I am a current CNL student at UVA and would be happy to answer any questions about the program. It is extremely competitive because the program strives to seek out highly motivated individuals who show promise as an RN and beyond. Part of this is because the program itself is very rigorous...however I suppose that's what one would expect for a MSN program with 1000 1:1 precepted hours. I think around 150 applied and around 28 got my year. However, the best thing you can do is get as much experience as you can in healthcare (volunteering, shadowing nurses etc.), do well in your pre-reqs and be able to express a strong desire for nursing. For me, it was life changing and I don't regret my decision one bit. Also, people are admitted with a wide variety of backgrounds, including sociology! Good luck!

Heid, I don't know if there are particular GPA cut-offs, I do know that they look at all the factors that contribute to that applicant, so surely having a strong GRE will only help. Also the information sessions will begin in the spring semester, so look on the UVA nursing website as the time gets closer.

mlh, My cohort has 28 in it, although we lost 2 in the summer. Also, I think there were 3 who previously were waitlisted but got in due to early declines to admission.

Hi Heidi, I'm a first year in the program, and although this is the most difficult and work-heavy experience I've ever had, it is also the most rewarding. I truly value the one-on-one clinical experiences, and I feel it's a huge advantage over most other programs. The pacing is very rigorous and sometimes it gets overwhelming with the sheer amount of work that is assigned, but everyone who sticks with it gets through it, everyone is so supportive. It sounds like you are doing everything right, and I believe already having years of experience in the hospital, observing RNs is a great asset. If you can convey why being an RN is the perfect fit for you and what about the UVA CNL program you believe will help you attain those goals, then it will help you in clarifying your goals in your essay/interview. Are you currently a CNA? I believe our class is over 30% out of state but as long as they know that you would be happy to move to Charlottesville, that will help. Also, if you haven't taken the GRE's (I didn't), you only need to take them if your cumulative GPA is under 3.25. Feel free to ask any questions you may have!

Hey fellow UVA CNL Class of 2013 students, Is anyone interested in making a Facebook group? I would love to start "meeting" everyone... is it weird that I'm getting very excited to start school in May?

Hi AmyB, I just sent you a pm with my e-mail address so that we can chat. I'd be more than happy to talk to you and answer any questions you have. I would love to hear about your background as well.

I majored in Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology and Psychology for undergrad. Compared to others, I imagine my overall GPA of a 3.4 is low, however I had 4 years filled with hefty course loads and difficult classes ( I'm looking at you Organic Chemistry and Cell Bio!). I was very involved with research all 4 years and spent my summers in my cognitive development lab or on internships at a neighboring school and I completed an honors thesis during my senior year. I didn't have to take the GRE due to my GPA, but I'm sure having a competitive score would help with admissions. I had already completed stats and developmental psych, however I was in the process of taking A&P 2 when I applied and I am currently taking A&P 1 now. So, even though my current prereq GPA is a 4.0, at the time, they only had 2 classes to judge from. I actually think it has worked out well to be taking these classes before school starts because it's still fresh in my brain. I'm so glad you're applying to the program! I've heard such wonderful things about it. When are you coming to Cville? You should definitely walk around the grounds and check out the town. If you need any help or advice, I'm a local so I could definitely help you out.

Hi Kathleen, It's so great to hear from you! How have you been? Which unit are you currently working in? Please let us know what you've been up to! For everyone else on this forum, Kathleen graduated from the CNL program last year and was nice enough to give me a tour of the school. I'm sure everyone is curious to get an insider's perspective into the program! I was actually wondering about how difficult it was to get a job upon graduating from the program? What kinds of shifts are you working? Did you find the program has prepared you for working as an RN? Thanks!

Hi Superball, Where are you moving from? Charlottesville is a beautiful city and is very runner friendly too! Here is a website that is very useful for finding apartments to live: http://www.brac.com/index.cfm You can search for different apartments based on your price range. Aside from the website, I would also suggest looking at Oxford Hills. I have some friends who live in that area and it is quiet, and mostly filled with graduate students and professionals. Good luck!

I am over the moon excited right now! I got in!!! I already accepted.

Ugh Saturday cannot come soon enough! I am very nervous and anxious and this is definitely becoming the longest week ever! Good luck to everyone!! To those who applied to other nursing programs, have you heard back from them yet? Any news?

Hi lesEMT and 3v35r5! Yes we are all on the same boat... waiting waiting waiting! Hopefully we will all know soon, one way or another! We're definitely on the home stretch, although this part feels like the hardest part!

Mr. Dave and Rnti, I just finished A&P II, but have not heard about my grade yet, but I'm assuming I'll send the transcript in if the school asks for it. I thankfully did not have to take the GRE, but these pre-reqs have been keeping me busy! Matt, I'm not sure if there are others who have not been interviewed yet, but I wish you luck! Maybe they haven't contacted you yet?

Hi Ninzy, Well I know that the hospital will definitely be open and I think it's worthwhile to check it out. I would call the nursing school administration and ask if the building would be open. Just so you know there are two main buildings the nursing students use: Mcleod Hall where the clinical simulation labs take place and the Claude Moore Nursing Education Building where classes are held. The latter is a brand new building and it is definitely a must see! In terms of the rest of UVa, I know the buildings are closed on Dec 24th, 25th, 26th, 30th, 31st. I hope you can make it out to Cville! And I also hate the waiting part, I want to know!!

Hi Mr. Dave, Your background sounds fascinating! I think you definitely must have a wide variety of experiences that would really complement a career in nursing! I am a lab coordinator for a Neuroscience lab and our research implements neuroimaging techniques with social psychology topics, which means a lot of EEG and fMRI work. I would love to hear from others too! Is anyone currently taking pre-requisites now? I was wondering how that works since grades will not come in until late December. I am currently taking A&P 2 and wasn't how I would report my grade to the program.

"Waves to rn'ti4uva" I thought I would find you again on this forum! Hopefully we'll see each other again soon. I'm glad you took such detailed notes... I definitely thought the information session was extremely useful but wish I would have remembered more information now!

Yeah I was wondering about that too. I hear they can get up to 150 applicants per year which seems like a lot to interview, but who knows! Do you guys have any idea of what area of nursing you may want to pursue? I am extremely interested in psych nursing, therefore I'm excited to experience clinicals in the psych ward or at Western State hospital (the main psych hospital here).